So Proud To Live, So Proud To Die.

In the 1960s the United States was in a time of turbulence and negativism. Young people were chanting "Don’t trust anyone over thirty!" and "Hell no, we won’t go!"

But not everyone was against "the man" and soon a special group formed, people who sought to find a positive vehicle for young people to speak out to America and the world.

Searching for a theme to express their alternative to the negativism which surrounded them, they came up with the thought that "If there is anything they could be ‘for’ it is people." The phrase "Up With People!" became a song and conviction, and in 1968 is was the name of an organization that became a worldwide force for international education and relations.

, which spread like wildfire throughout the country. They carried their positive message from here to Timbuktu, spreading joy along the way. To many, UWP was a light-hearted group with their heads up in the clouds. Little did they know of the dark times that had cast a shadow over the group’s glowing message of universal love.

Following the success of tours in the Florida swamplands, the wild hills of Western Virginia and the golden grains of Iowa, UWP headed for the West, ready to entertain the "original" Americans with songs of their heartland.

The unfortunately named "Up With Ponchos: Native America Sings!" tour began with a performance for the Lanahanee tribe on October 14th, 1969. The remainder of the tour was canceled after the first night, due to an unfavorable response to the opening number – the classic "Cherokee People." Audience members booed loudly and pelted the disheartened performers with maize, dried berries and hunks of fermented beaver meat. The UWP singers left the reservation that night, saddened that they had not been able to share their positive message with the country’s Native People.

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14 Responses

Well, blow me down! I didn’t know Charlize Theron was with UwP:NAS! And Pat Boone too! Who suggested he lose his trademark white shoes, though? Try to pull the wool over our eyes (no pun intended)? I think not – we can so see through their lily white plan to take over Native America lands and relocate the people to reservations.

Omigod this was hilarious! I actually was in Up with People at one low point in my life. We toured the Northeast of the US- I was so shiny and happy then; now I am a real human, not the humanoid white person.

I used to know someone who performed with UWP!! YIKES!! Actually, he told a funny of story of leaving the van with all their instruments parked in a tow-away zone. Of course it got towed, and of course they had a performance that night, and of course they didn’t have any money to pay the towing fee. I think he said they somehow managed to get on the lot and steal it back and I’m sure it was just in time to make it to the performance. Sounds like a Brady Bunch episode!